Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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Handguard for clamping mounting on an existing firearm
The invention relates to a handguard for clamping mounting on an existing
firearm
according to the preamble of claim 1 and the WO 2013/010516.
In particular, the invention relates to a rifle (carbine), simply also called
handguard
clamping or only clamping, especially for weapons of the rifle type
M4/M16/AR15,
according to the preamble of claim 1. The clamping device according to the
invention
and its variants are not limited to rifles, carbines, etc., but can basically
also be used for
pistols. The improvements and their effects/advantages are listed below.
The mentioned WO 2013/010516 Al discloses an arrangement to exchange and lock
the
barrel of a long gun with a handguard which is elastically deformed by a bolt
and nut
device, which is oriented perpendicular to the center plane of the gun and has
cam-like
surfaces which co-operate with the surface of the handguard. When threaded
into one
another, the cam-like surfaces press the handguard towards the center plane
and fix it on
the weapon. The device consists of a plurality of small parts and has to be
demounted
totally in order to change the handguard; the threads are in danger to get
dirty or
otherwise compromised.
Similar devices are known from the US 10,436,549 B 1, the US 2019/0170476 Al
and
the US 7,523,580 B 1 . The contents of these documents, as well as the
contents of the
US 7,538,580 B1 and the US 9,032,658 B2, mentioned below, are incorporated by
reference into this application and description for all jurisdictions where
this is possible.
For numerous rifles (carbines), in particular those of the types mentioned,
handguards
(also often referred as forearms) have been known for many years as
independent parts
and are available on the market, which fulfill the most varied wishes. It is
therefore
assumed as a given in the following and in the claims of the carbines that the
invention
relates to a handguard adapted to it, which thus geometrically and
functionally fits the
weapon, so that it can be used with the handguard according to the invention.
As a
general technological background, the following can be briefly stated:
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On the one hand, handguards form a grip area for the free hand ¨ the target
hand ¨ of
the shooter and allow the user to grip the firearm without directly contacting
the barrel,
which becomes hot during use. On the other hand, a handguard protects the
barrel from
blows, dirt, etc. and can be used as a mount for a variety of accessories,
such as rifle
scopes, residual light amplifiers, flashlights, laser pointers, and much more.
The handguard can be understood as a kind of extension of the housing of a
rifle in the
barrel direction. In order to improve the precision of a rifle, the handguard
must
therefore be connected to the case as rigidly as possible relative to the
barrel and
therefore also relative to the housing. However, the barrel must be able to
swing
"freely" when the shot is fired.
The barrel is usually fastened to the housing by means of a travelling nut,
which is
usually designed as a union nut and bolted to the housing. The travelling nut
presses the
barrel against a radially projecting shoulder of the housing.
From the prior art, a number of possibilities to couple a handguard to the
housing are
known for AR-15-type rifles, whereby very often a circumferential clamping,
i.e.
tangential to the axis of the handguard, is carried out, which in the
following, if nothing
else results from the context, is also referred to as the reference axis when
the term
"axial direction" is used. In most cases, a bracing against the barrel
direction, i.e.
against the upper housing, is realized by means of a separate, second clamping
device of
its own.
The desire remains for quick disassembly/assembly of the handguard, whether in
use or
for maintenance purposes. Furthermore, the disassembly and assembly process
should
be able to be carried out as simply as possible. Special tools are often
required, which of
course have to be carried separately. Often, as shown in US 9,032,658 B2, for
example,
the tangential clamping is done by screws, which clamp the handguard
tangentially to
the travelling nut. There, an additional locking against shifting of the
handguard in the
axial direction is achieved by partial engagement of the screws in the grooves
of the
travelling nut provided for this purpose.
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US 7,538,580 B1 follows a similar approach, which prevents the handguard from
being
displaced in the axial direction by a tangentially displaceable locking bolt.
As a rule, a number of components are required to form a clamping at least in
the
tangential direction. Securing and pretensioning the barrel in the axial
direction,
preferably also via a clamping device, would also be desirable in order to
form as rigid a
connection as possible between the housing and the handguard.
Thus, the object of this invention is to provide a clamping device, which
secures the
handguard against displacement relative to the housing and at the same time
ensures a
rigid connection to the housing. A further object of the invention is to use
as few
components as possible for the clamping device. Another object of the
invention is to
provide a clamping device that is easy to handle, easy to maintain and
relatively simple
in design.
This task is solved by the features listed in the characterizing part of claim
1.
In the description and in the claims "before" or "in the front/forward" is
used as the
direction towards the muzzle of the barrel, "in the back/back" as the
direction towards
the stock, "down/downward" as the direction for the lock towards the magazine,
and
"up/upward" as the direction away from the magazine. The terms "center plane
of the
weapon," "barrel bore," "barrel axis," "barrel core," etc. have the usual
meaning that the
person skilled in the art attaches to them in the prior art. "Left" thus
refers to the center
plane of the weapon, "from left" corresponds to a movement, actuation,
exertion of
force in the direction of the center plane of the weapon, starting from a
starting position
to the "left" of it, etc. After a shot has been fired, the lock is moved "to
the rear" under
the effect of the gases and then "to the front" again under the effect of a
closing spring,
etc.
The invention is explained below based on the drawings. The figures show:
Fig. 1: a schematic exploded view of a handguard,
Fig. 2: the cut II-II of Fig. 1,
Figs. 3a, b: the cut of Fig. 1 in two different clamping situations,
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Figs. 4a, b: a level in two different perspective views,
Figs. 5a-c: different views of a nut,
Figs. 6a, b: a detail of the handguard in different views, and
Figs. 7a-c: different clamping situations in an axial cut.
In the figures, everything that concerns the handguard 1 without the clamping
device
was marked with "in," analogously, everything that concerns the clamping
device 2
was marked with "2n."
Figs. 1-6 show exemplary embodiments suitable for use in an AR15 or M4 rifle.
Modifications of the examples shown can be easily and simply transferred to
other types
of rifles by the person skilled in the art with knowledge of the invention
without
extensive or complex tests.
Fig. 1 shows a schematic exploded view of a handguard 1 with housing 11 and
built-in
spacer 12, which is not essential for the invention and is therefore not
further explained.
Also shown is a clamping device 2 according to the invention with a lever 21,
a nut 28
and a locking ring 281; a coordinate system ¨ barrel direction 51, shaft
direction,
forward; transverse direction 52 to the left and vertical 53 to the top ¨ used
in some
instances in the description and in the claims, is drawn for better
orientation.
Fig. 2 shows the cut II-II of Fig. 1, an axial section through the shaft axis
41, thus
parallel to the barrel axis. The barrel 15 is radially closest to the barrel
axis (parallel or
coinciding with the shaft axis 41); a travelling nut 13 in the form of an
elongated sleeve
may be pushed onto it and connected at its rear end to the upper housing 14 by
means of
a screw joint 42. This presses a collar of the barrel 15 through a rear face
of the
travelling nut 13 against a front face of the upper housing 14, thus holding
the barrel 15
itself The housing 11 of the handguard 1 encloses not only the barrel 15
together with
the barrel nut 13, but also a gas pipe 16.
An annular groove 131 is provided in the travelling nut 13; the lever 21
partly lies in
this annular groove and in this illustration is cut in the area of its center
element 26. A
long hole running in the transverse direction 52 is provided in the housing
11, whose
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cross section has circular end sections, and two parallel long hole axes 191,
192 running
in the transverse direction 52. These axes lie in a plane normal to the
vertical 52.
Figs. 3a, b are a cut along the line of Fig. 1, thus normal to the shaft
axis 41, and
represent two different clamping situations.
The structure itself is as follows: The lever 21 is pushed with its threaded
end forward
through the long hole 19, the nut 28 with its clamp taper socket 282 directed
towards the
weapon, screwed on and secured against loss by means of the spring-loaded
safety ring
281. By screwing on the nut 28, a longitudinal slit 17 of the housing 11 or
the spacer 12
in the area of the lever 21 is changed in its width and provides for
pretensioning and
adjustment with the conical sections 22 of the shaft and 282 of the nut.
Fig. 3a shows the released position in which the recess 23 is directed towards
the shaft
axis 41 and allows longitudinal movement of the housing 11 along the barrel
and the
barrel nut 128 (if the nut 28 is not screwed on too tightly), as the contour
in the area of
the recess 228 lies radially outside the contour of the barrel nut. When the
rear end
position (Fig. 2) is reached when the housing is pushed on, the lever arm 27
is rotated
180 about the lever axis 291, if necessary after tightening the nut 28,
whereby the shaft
with its untapered surface area enters the ring groove 1281. The positions and
geometries of the shaft are important in this process. As a result of the
positions and the
geometries
- of the annular groove 131 of the barrel nut 13,
- of the long hole 19 of the housing 11 and
- of the shaft of the lever 21,
the housing 11 is pulled in the direction 51 of the shaft axis 41 towards the
upper
housing 14 and by the (previous or further) tightening of the nut 28 with a
narrowing
slot 17, an increasing clamping in the circumferential direction - i.e.
tangential to the
barrel 15 ¨ is affected.
The clamping device 2 shown in detail in Figs. 4a, b is comprised of a lever
21 having a
shaft with a lever axis 291, in one end portion of which a thread 24 is
provided and at
the other end of which a lever arm 27 protrudes approximately at a right
angle. In this
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end portion the diameter of the shaft increases conically to the lever arm 27
and forms a
clamp taper socket 22. The shaft has a recess 23 in the center element 26,
approximately
in the middle, which forms a generally cylindrical, preferably circular
cylindrical,
surface; the generators of the surface run parallel to the plane defined by
the lever axis
and the lever arm 27 in the exemplary embodiment. These figures also show that
the
thread 24 does not extend to the end of the shaft, but ends at an annular
groove 25
whose inner diameter is smaller than the diameter of the base of the thread.
The shaft
diameter in the direct end portion is greater than that of the groove, but
smaller than that
of the base of the thread.
A nut 28, shown in Fig. 5a c, interacts with the thread 24 of the shaft. This
nut 28 is
provided in a first axial area with an internal thread, which can interact
with the thread
24; in a second axial area it has a cylindrical bore (recess) with a larger
diameter than
the shaft diameter. This recess extends over the entire remaining length
(actually height)
of the nut 28. In the first axial area, the outer contour of the nut is
cylindrical with
subsequent conical taper towards the end, in the second an external hexagon is
provided.
By rotating the lever arm 27 in the mounting position (see Figs. 3 and 7), the
center
element 26 in conjunction with the annular groove 131 secures the handguard 1
against
axial displacement. A special feature is the design of the clamp taper socket
22 on the
shaft of the lever 21 and the clamp taper socket 282 on the nut 28 in
conjunction with
the two corresponding clamping surfaces 18 of the handguard 1. This double
conical
design results in self-centering clamping when the nut 28 is tightened to the
locking
position after the lever 2 has been turned.
An equally important aspect of the invention in terms of its design is the
formation of
the long hole 19 shown in detail in Figs. 6a, b, which, as already mentioned,
has two
parallel long hole axes 191, 192. In addition, there is the preferably
concentric conical
clamping surface 18 (on both sides of the handguard 1), which is centric about
the axis
191 and leads to a displacement and/or application of force to the handguard
against the
barrel direction, towards the upper housing 14, when a tangential force is
applied about
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the lever axis 291, which enables axial fixing and thus fixation in addition
to tangential
fixing.
The assembly is carried out with the lever 21 in the "OPEN" position up to the
stop on
the "Upper," then the nut 28 is tightened, narrows the gap 17 and thus fixes
the housing
5 to the travelling nut 128. This situation is essentially illustrated in
Figs. 7a-c. The first
long hole axis 191 is further away from the upper housing 14 than the second
long hole
axis 192.
In Fig. 7a, the housing 11 with the clamping device 2 is placed in the "OPEN"
position;
the lever axis 291 is at a distance from the second long hole axis 192 and is
closer to the
upper housing than the latter.
Fig. 7b shows the situation when rotating the lever 21 into the "LOCKED"
position; the
two axes have come together much closer and can also coincide.
Fig. 7c shows the situation after tightening the clamping nut 28, since the
conical
clamping surface 18 around the axis 191, as indicated by the arrow, causes a
load/displacement of the housing 11 of the handguard 1 in the direction of the
upper
housing 14, so that stable mechanical conditions prevail.
Thus, the invention allows tangential and axial clamping of the handguard at
the same
time.
In the exemplary embodiment shown, the outer diameter of the nut 28 is
selected so that
a part of the weapon, preferably the bolt carrier (not shown), can be used to
loosen the
nut 28. This means that the bolt carrier 28 with its slit-shaped opening,
which allows the
hammer or striking piece to pass through, can be used to unscrew the nut 28. A
"half
inch" width of the nut head is therefore particularly preferred.
Further embodiments concern the loss protection of the clamping device,
already
explained, by the annular groove 25 on the lever 21 in conjunction with the
safety ring
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281, which reduces the risk of the nut completely unscrewing and thereby
decreases the
risk of loss.
A person having ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of the present
disclosure could
readily modify the embodiments disclosed herein to other types of rifles and
firearms
without extensive or complex testing. The materials to be used are the same as
in the
prior art; the processing or the manufacturing processes to be chosen are also
the same.
In the description and in the claims, the terms "front," "back," "top,"
"bottom" and so
on are used in the common form and with reference to the object in its usual
position of
use. This means that in a weapon the muzzle of the barrel is "in front," that
the lock or
sled is moved "back" by the explosive gases, etc. Transverse to a direction
means
substantially a direction turned by 90 to it, unless otherwise indicated.
Special
reference is made to the various coordinate systems 51 - barrel direction, 52 -
transverse
direction and 53 - vertical (with the weapon in the stop position as usual),
drawn and
described in the figures for better orientation.
It should also be noted that in the description and in the claims, indications
such as
"lower area" of an object means the lower half and in particular the lower
quarter of the
total height, "lowest area" the lowest quarter and in particular an even
smaller part,
while "center area" means the middle third of the total height (width ¨
length). All these
indications have their common meaning, applied to the intended position of the
object
under consideration, unless otherwise indicated.
In the description and in the claims "substantially" means a deviation of up
to 10% of
the indicated value, if it is physically possible, both downward and upward,
otherwise
only in the meaningful direction; with degrees (angle and temperature) this
means
10 .
All quantities and percentages, in particular those used to delimit the
invention, as far as
they do not concern the concrete examples, are to be understood with a
tolerance of
10%, thus for example 11% means from 9.9% to 12.1%. In the case of
designations as
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in the case of "a solvent," the word "a" is not to be regarded as a numerical
word, but as
an indefinite article or as a pronoun, unless the context indicates otherwise.
Unless otherwise indicated, the term "combination" or "combinations" stands
for all
types of combinations, from two of the components concerned to a plurality or
all of
such components; the term "containing" also stands for "comprising".
The features and variants indicated in the individual embodiments and examples
may be
freely combined with those of the other examples and embodiments and, in
particular,
used to identify the invention in the claims without necessarily taking along
the other
details of the respective embodiment or respective example.
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1 Handguard 41 Shaft axis
11 Handguard housing (handguard) 42 Screw j oint
12 Spacer
13 Barrel nut 51 Barrel direction
131 Barrel nut (channel) 52 Transverse direction
14 Upper housing 53 Vertical direction
15 Barrel
16 Gas pipe
17 Slit
18 Clamp taper surface
19 Long hole
191 First long hole axis
192 Second long hole axis
2 Clamping device
21 Lever
22 Clamp taper socket
23 Recess
24 Thread
25 Annular groove
26 Center element
27 Lever arm
291 Lever axis
28 Nut
281 Safety ring
282 Clamp taper socket
